GLENDALE, Ariz. - He's not even a full week into his first NFL training camp, but Tyrann Mathieu is feeling so confident with each step he takes as a member of the Cardinals that he's come to the threshold of making a major decision.

He's thinking about un-retiring his nickname.

That may not come as a news flash, but when the Cardinals drafted him in the third round this past April despite his having to sit out the entire previous season at Louisiana State because of repeated marijuana use, Mathieu wanted to distance himself from the whole "Honey Badger" phenomenon.

Considering he would be starting anew and under strict watch, he thought it best to put the past — and the identifiable nickname — behind him.

Now, he's not so sure. His autograph is one of the bigger catches at camp. Every day at University of Phoenix Stadium, fans are screaming his name with unbridled support. They're cheering "Honey Badger!" over and over.

So is the nickname retired or not?

"I don't know. I tried to," Mathieu said. "But it seems like it's still on my shoulder. I'm just going to go with the flow and we'll see what happens."

The smile he flashed after making that comment spoke volumes. But Mathieu has had plenty of reasons to smile lately.

Not only did the Cardinals give the playmaking defensive back a shot at redemption and a chance to realize a lifelong dream, but the 21-year-old is finding salvation and maturation at nearly every turn.

"Man, everything is going so good," he said. "It's been extremely positive for me. Guys in the locker room all support me. They all know my situation. They're all holding me accountable. I think that's something I needed coming into the NFL."

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Third-year cornerback Patrick Peterson, Mathieu's former teammate at LSU and his best friend and mentor, still holds the most influence. Peterson's family took Mathieu into their Florida home last year to help keep him on the straight and narrow and Peterson reports Mathieu has been doing all the right things since coming to Arizona.

"I couldn't be happier about him right now," Peterson said.

Cardinals General Manager Steve Keim acknowledged he wasn't completely sure how dedicated Mathieu would be toward his training and his transition to the pros.

"He's a gym rat," Keim said Sunday. "He was one of the first rookies in the weight room every morning and he's obviously got a chip on his shoulder. We'll see whether he toes the line off the field, but so far, everything we've seen brings me a great deal of confidence he's going to do the right thing."

On the field, Mathieu has looked solid and smooth. Though he played cornerback in college, finishing his two-year career with a school-record 11 forced fumbles as well as six fumble recoveries and four interceptions, he seems to be absorbing all the nuances that come with making the switch to free safety.

But given his ball-hawking ability, the Cardinals could probably put the "Honey Badger" anywhere in the secondary and he would be a danger to opposing offenses. Just let him freelance and move around in a rover position and see what happens.

"Yeah, I would like to think that," he says. "But I'm really just trying to get the safety thing down right now. I've already got the nickel package down. I played that my whole college career, so that's pretty easy for me."

Peterson, however, has noticed at least one flaw.

"You have to be a little bit more vocal, that's something he's slowly getting," Peterson said. "He's not a loud guy. But to play in this league, the safeties have to be the guys that are vocal. You have to make sure you got the corners in the right position, making the correct checks. He's pretty much the general in the secondary."

Mathieu agreed after being told of Peterson's comments and said he'll work quickly on raising his barking skills. "Hey," he said, "I want to be the guy back there that my teammates believe in, so it's my responsibility to open my voice up and start screaming and yelling."

Mathieu may get an opportunity to make fans scream and yell besides from just playing in the secondary. Head coach Bruce Arians is contemplating using him on punt returns along with Peterson.

"I wouldn't mind being back there with Patrick. I doubt he'd let me catch it, though," Mathieu said, laughing. "I might just be a decoy on that thing."

Arians is also using Peterson in some gadget plays on offense, letting him run a few deep routes and quick screens out of the backfield. Does Mathieu want some of that action, too?

"I'm not an offensive weapon," he said. "I'm a defensive guy who looks good with a ball in his hands. I can't take those hits like that anyway."

Seriously? A defensive player would turn down the chance to play a little bit of offense?

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Seahawks TE Sean McGrath poses for a photo with his parents, Nita McGrath, third from left, and Pat McGrath, third from right, along with family friends and Seahawks tight ends coach Pat McPherson, right, in Renton, Wash., Aug. 15.
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